Morning session

Well, well, well. Who would have thought it? A game that meandered aimlessly for 11 sessions came to life last night as I slept like a baby at home, sickeningly oblivious to New Zealand's collective meltdown. And yet I can't help feeling that their collapse in the final session (six for 20, which became seven for 42) has given them their best chance of forcing victory. England currently trail by 269 and still need to take two wickets. Given that Daniel Vettori is still there, Michael Vaughan and Co will be lucky to get a target of much less than 300, and they will probably need to score at more than 3.5 an over on a pitch that might offer Vettori and Jeetan Patel some help. Since they barely managed two an over in their first innings, that might be pushing it, although I accept that different circumstances provoke different response. Don't get me wrong: I'm thrilled this game has decided to perk up, but I still make the draw favourite, followed in quick succession by a New Zealand win and victory for England.

Having said all that, bloody hell, eh? Alastair Cook has now taken five catches in this game, ranging from the very sharp to the Jonty Rhodes, Ryan Sidebottom has taken nine wickets on a flat 'un, Stephen Fleming might be regretting his decision to retire, and Monty Panesar responded at the earliest possible opportunity to criticism that he doesn't vary his pace. What a game!

An email! "Being of superstitous bent, and anxious not to put the mockers on the boys, I've been debating the most effective way to keep tabs on the game tonight," reveals Andrew Stroud. "Yesterday it only got good when I fell asleep shortly before tea. Should I just fall asleep now?"

I agree that the momentum is with England, but what good was momentum during the Twenty20s and one-dayers? England won both Twenty20s, then went 2-0 down in the ODIs. They were then written off, at which point they won at Auckland before salvaging a tie at Napier. Advantage England? Not a bit of it: New Zealand loped to victory at Christchurch. And here we are now. Also, don't forget that Vettori can tie up an end and bowl into the rough outside leg if New Zealand need to go on the defensive.

Atherton has just asked KP whether he thinks England can win. He hesitated before saying: "I see a result one way or the other." I'm not sure that oozes confidence, but perhaps he's just covering himself.

Another email! "Seeing as I'm sat at home with my wife, Littlest OBOer and a vat of wine," says Richard O'Hagan, "I was wondering which prospect you find more depressing - England inevitably snatching defeat from the jaws of victory, or the prospect of a Saturday evening with only Gary Naylor for company? On second thoughts, best not answer that..." The thought I find most depressing is handing over to Sam Collins at tea-time with England needing 120 off 30 overs with five wickets in hand. That would be depressing...

Beefy's pitch report "It's still doing very little... very slow... hard work for the seamers once that new ball goes... England, if they get these two wickets, could chase this total down... Should be an intriguing day's play." Ah, the kiss of death.

"Evening, Lawrence," says Ian Copestake. "I am so up for this. NZ are going to try and grind out some runs and take up some time. In the meantime what England need is to keep the anger levels up. No curbing of enthusiasm allowed here, so my mantra for them: "Get in that ass, Larry!"

Good point from Nasser "If New Zealand are so confident," he says after listening to an interview with Stephen Fleming, "why haven't they declared yet?" Just a couple of minutes to go...

49th over: New Zealand 149-8 (Vettori 13, Patel 8) "All three results are possible," says Athers, crazily ignoring the possibility of a New Zealand win. Arf. It will be Monty to get things going to Patel, knowing that a good over could bring him a cheap five-for: Chris Martin, the No11, is a ferret - he goes in after the rabbits. Instead, he strays onto leg and Patel whips him through midwicket for two.

50th over: New Zealand 150-8 (Vettori 14, Patel 8) Ryan Sidebottom has his eye on a seven-for, and what a result that would be on a pitch that is flatter than the Coke I bought here last night. But Vettori whips his fourth ball to deep midwicket for a single to bring up the 150 as Beefy chunters on about New Zealand losing time they might need to bowl England out. Patel almost nibbles at one that moves away, then defends the last ball of the second over: three runs so far. Meanwhile, another kiss of death arrives courtesy of Ian Copestake, who is making a good stab at being the new Gary Naylor. "England will win this match because we have forgotten that NZ have serious issues regarding blowing good positions, and are lumbered with a big Test-match complex (and I don't mean modern playing facilities with good car park provision)."

51st over: New Zealand 159-8 (Vettori 23, Patel 8) Vettori slog-sweeps Panesar for successive fours, thus taking New Zealand's lead to 280, then pushes a single down the ground to leave Patel needing to negotiate only two deliveries. Good stuff from the Kiwi captain. "I'm following OBO because I decided to have a luxurious evening in bed watching telly and laptopping, and satellite TV only exists downstairs," says Mark Casarotto. "I do have series 1 of The Wire I could watch, having never seen an episode... or do I stay with you guys? Also, why wasn't James Kirtley selected? It's an outrage."

52nd over: New Zealand 164-8 (Vettori 27, Patel 8) Vettori turns down a single off the second ball of Sidebottom's over. I think he wants a lead of 300 just to feel safe, although even that would not necessarily be beyond England's reach: there have been some decent runchases here in domestic cricket in recent years. A very neat late-cut brings him four and New Zealand lead by 285 and then Sidebottom fails to appeal for lbw after Vettori misses a pull. Hawkeye says it was hitting the top of middle and leg. Why didn't he appeal? He made that mistake in the first innings too. Unbelievable.

53rd over: New Zealand 169-8 (Vettori 31, Patel 9) England are being dictated to right now by Vettori, who pushes Panesar uinto the off-side and collects two, before sweeping for a single. Yet again, New Zealand's tail is wagging: they were 119 for seven, remember. And now the lead is 291.

WICKET! Vettori c Cook b Sidebottom 35 (173-9) Vettori tries to mow Sidebottom over the off-side infield and doesn't make proper contact. Alastair Cook, running back in the covers, takes his sixth catch of the game and Sidebottom has 10 wickets. What a superb effort. "Surely it's England's day today (or tomorrow I suppose, if we're getting technical)," says Richard Marsden. "After the results in the FA and Calcutta Cups, today is clearly the day of the underdog. And after this showing, let's not pretend that mimsy, cowering England are anything but."

54th over: New Zealand 176-9 (Patel 12, Martin 0) Martin is on a king pair, but Patel is facing Sidebottom because the batsmen crossed while Vettori's slog was in the air and he collects three off the last ball with a stand-and-deliver cover-drive. So he, and not Martin, will have the strike. The lead is 298.

55th over: New Zealand 177-9dec (Patel 13, Martin 0) Patel works Panesar into the leg-side for a single, exposing Martin for three balls. He's on a king pair, but defends the first delivery to huge cheers from the Seddon Park crowd. There are five men round the bat but he bravely lunges forward and now New Zealand declare. So England will need 300 to win in, I think, 81 overs. "I take your point about Sidebottom's appeals, but surely it is more a criticism of the umpire?" says Robin Hazlehurst. "If one fielder on the pitch says politley "Excuse me sir, but how would that be?" then isn't the umpire duty-bound to consider the request just the same as an entire slip cordon screaming their lungs out? If umpires are not giving LBWs just because the bowler didn't appeal loudly enough then that is a sad state of affairs. An appeal is appeal regardless of the decibels. Of course if Sidebottom didn't appeal at all I stand corrected." The problem was, he stifled his appeal and then gave it up entirely. No umpire is going to uphold a shout after that.

It's all set up very nicely now. Sidebottom, by the way finishes with 17-4-49-6 in the innings and 10 for 139 in the match. Monty has three for 50 and England will need to score at 3.7 an over. I still make the draw favourite.

The new ball is crucial for both sides New Zealand will feel it's a great chance to push England on the back foot from the start, but run-scoring is at its easiest on this pitch while the ball is still hard. Cook and Vaughan need to look lively here.

1st over: England, needing 300, 9-0 (Cook 9, Vaughan 0) Cook nudges Martin's second ball in the gap between second slip and gully and away for four, then squirts the next ball high and wide of the finer of two gulleys for four more. He's then thankful to collect a single off the inside edge as he tries to leave one outside off - that almost hit leg-stump. Still, that's a great start for England. This'll be over by tea-time! "Damn Sidebottom and Cook for making this match so interesting," says Robin Hazlehurst. "My wife and newborn son are due home from hospital tomorrow and it's already midnight here in Estonia and I should really get some sleep. Who'd have thought this time yesterday that I'd be thinking of staying up all night for the end of this match?"

2nd over: England, needing 300, 13-0 (Cook 13, Vaughan 0) Martin went round the wicket to Cook, but Kyle Mills is starting over it and one of the gulleys has been removed. Cook gropes at the second ball, then leg-glances the third for another boundary. Vaughan is yet to face a ball. "I'm going to have to go to bed," says the previously silent Sam Blackledge, "but keep an eye on the cricket for me and make sure nothing exciting happens." Right you are.

3rd over: England, needing 300, 18-0 (Cook 13, Vaughan 5) Vaughan picks up four lucky runs as he tries to pull Martin and gets a top edge over the slips. That ball was never there to pull, but at least that shot oozed intent. The notion that England might be intent on blocking for the draw has been dispelled by the first three overs as Vaughan works Martin's final ball to deep square leg for a single. "Why is everybody making a great play about the declaration?" asks Richard O'Hagan. "With Patel and Martin in there, NZ were not going to score many more runs. If NZ want to win they have to bowl England out. Declaring at that point was a no-brainer." I agree.

WICKET! Cook c McCullum b Mills 13 (19-1) Cook fiddles at Mills and New Zealand react as if they've just won the Test.

4th over: England, needing 300, 19-1 (Vaughan 6, Strauss 0) In fairness to the New Zealanders' reaction, that was a very big wicket. If Cook and Vaughan had added a brisk 50, Vettori might have gone on the defensive. It was relief as much as exultation. A good over from Mills. "Why are people in the UK moaning about the time and needing to go to bed already - it is only 10:24 p.m. on a SATURDAY night," says David Keech. "Can't they just sleep in on Sunday to catch up on this exciting result? This is a really fair criticism from me as I am in Ohio and it's currently 5:24 p.m. over here..."

5th over: England, needing 300, 21-1 (Vaughan 8, Strauss 0) Vaughan pushes Martin towards midwicket and comes back for a second, then edges along the ground off the toe-end of the bat to second slip. Meanwhile, I bring you a faintly odd email from Chris Moores. "The only previous occasion I emailed the OBO board was to make snide comments when Sidey Sidebottom was called up to the side. Side. I suggested that he was included owing to the West Indies side's inability to bat against Monty's slow, straight, left arm bowling for the England side in a previous game. Side. I put his success in the Test side down to a personal vendetta against me. Not Fletcher, or those selecting the English side but me. Side. Does this mean I can claim to have a hat trick for the England side?"

6th over: England, needing 300, 22-1 (Vaughan 8, Strauss 1) Andrew Strauss is just playing himself in here against a probing line from Mills, operating over the wicket. There's nervous tension in the air. And that's just in GU Towers. Strauss helps the last ball of the over to long leg for a single. "In response to David Keech, we Britons are in danger of suffering a sport aneurysm after a surfeit of incredibly turgid Six Nations and amazingly thrilling FA Cup action," says Sam Blackledge, who is supposed to be in bed. "Witnessing England's imminent false-hope-followed-by-collapse means we would be in serious danger."

7th over: England, needing 300, 24-1 (Vaughan 9, Strauss 2) Martin goes round the wicket to Strauss, who nudges his second ball into the leg-side for an easy single. Vaughan then plays an airy-fairy jab at one that bounces too much for the shot, and New Zealand have dragged it back after a loose start with the ball. A quick single to mid-on gives Vaughan the strike.

WICKET! Vaughan lbw b Mills 9 (24-2) Interesting! Very interesting! Mills nips one back into Vaughan, who is stuck on the crease and barely even bothers to turn round to appeal. That was plumb! "Can you ask David Keech from Ohio if he has a snow blower I can borrow?" says Graham Randall. "There appears to be 10 inches of snow outside of my front door."

8th over: England, needing 300, 25-2 (Strauss 2, Pietersen 1) New Zealand are buzzing now. One more wicket in the next 20 minutes or so, and England will be thinking about shutting up shop already. Kevin Pietersen drops his second ball into the leg-side and takes a quick single, but England have it all to do here. Mills is bowling very well indeed.

9th over: England, needing 300, 25-2 (Strauss 2, Pietersen 1) Pietersen, almost bobbing and weaving as he waits for Martin, gets into trouble against a short one as the ball balloons off the shoulder of the bat and plops to safety on the off-side. There was a short leg waiting on the other, so that was a slice of luck for KP. And great bowling from Martin. New Zealand are up for this as Pietersen wafts outside off at an awayswinger. And misses. A great maiden. "In Response to Sam Blackledge - I KNOW!" screams David Keech. "I listened to the rugby then watched Barnsley - Chelsea LIVE on Fox Soccer Channel over here. Absolutely fantastic! I support TWO EPL teams - Liverpool and whoever is playing Chelsea..."

WICKET! Strauss c McCullum b Mills 2 (25-3) Mills is on fire! Strauss nibbles at one he should have left alone and McCullum just about clings on in his fingertips as he stretches for the ball in front of first slip. Great stuff from New Zealand. "And if David Keech doesn't mind, I have made my excuses," says Robin Hazlehurst. "But if he's passing the fridge could he grab me a refill. Looks like he is my company of choice for my last night in a peaceful flat. And your esteemed self of course. And Andy Strauss who I back for a match-winning ton to cement his place in the side for the next decade and keep Naylor quiet for, ooh, 10 minutes."

10th over: England, needing 300, 25-3 (Pietersen 1, Bell 0) Of course, Robin Hazlehurst sent that email in before the demise of Strauss. But I thought the juxtaposition of WICKET! and his wish for a Strauss hundred might keep the more sleepy ones among on your toes. A wicket maiden and New Zealand scent blood.

11th over: England, needing 300, 30-3 (Pietersen 6, Bell 0) Pietersen loosens one or two of the shackles with an outside edge to third man for four off Martin, but it will need a lot more of those to change the shape of this game. A single into the off-side follows and England have half an hour to survive before lunch. Another wicket before the break could prove terminal. "Where is Graham Randall?" asks David Keech. "I'll need to know where he is to deliver the snow blower - I don't have one but five dogs, a son and a lot of hard work to offer - if I could get out of my driveway currently under 18 in. of snow that is..."

WICKET! Pietersen lbw b Mills 6 (30-4) What is going on! Mills has four for seven as Pietersen shoulders arms to a ball that came back and might have clipped the top of off-stump. Absolute carnage!

12th over: England, needing 300, 30-4 (Bell 0, Collingwood 0) Hawkeye says the was clipping the top of off, which means Pietersen was given as much for the shot - or lack of it - as Steve Davis's certainty that the ball was going to hit the stumps. But well bowled Mills: he has been outstanding this morning. "Reckon you'll be in for an early night then..." says Jeremy Theobald. Surely you don't think England can win by tea...?

13th over: England, needing 300, 31-4 (Bell 1, Collingwood 0) So, the best England can do now is draw this game. It's not beyond the realms of possibility, but with the length of their tail (Sidebottom at No8) I think these two are going to have to be there until tea, which is two hours and 20 minutes away. In the meantime, Sideshow Martin beats Ian Bell outside off before being pulled for a single. "Oh FFS," says Andrew Stroud. "Admittedly, we deserve nothing from this game, but nevertheless. And Wales might win the blinking grand slam. As the fat bloke on Masterchef might say, it Doesn't Get Tougher Than This."

14th over: England, needing 300, 33-4 (Bell 2, Collingwood 0) Mills already has his best figures in Test cricket as he stifles an lbw appeal against Bell: that was going down leg. Bell escapes the business end with a single to long leg, before Mills oversteps. The good news for England is that Collingwood likes a scrap. But Bell doesn't have much form in batting for a draw. Kandy was as close as he has come. Andy Smith attempts to sum up the situation. "One recognised partnership left, a rookie with promise and then the worst tail in international cricket. Can New Zealand claim the extra half-hour now and spare us the lunch break? This is woeful, even by Moores's woeful England standards."

15th over: England, needing 300, 33-4 (Bell 2, Collingwood 0) Jacob Oram replaces Martin as England will the lunch interval to get a move on. Bell edges one a yard in front of second slip - good soft hands - but this is pretty grim.

16th over: England, needing 300, 33-4 (Bell 2, Collingwood 0) Vettori replaces Mills, who might never bowl a better spell than the one he has just finished with figures of 7-2-9-4. It ought to be enough to give New Zealand the lead in this three-Test series, but the cricket over the last two days has keep surprising us, so let's leave the snap judgments until later, eh? A maiden to Collingwood. "I can just see Daniel Vettori standing there thinking 'I love the smell of Hamilton in the morning'," quips Louise Peake. "This rather reminds me of deepest, darkest Adelaide, only without the fat blonde snake charmer."

17th over: England, needing 300, 34-4 (Bell 3, Collingwood 0) Bell pulls Oram for a single and there will be time for one more over after this before the umpires put a temporary end to England's misery can waddle off for a sandwich. Collingwood props forward, as I suspect he will continue to do until the fat lady sings. "OK, so England aren't doing very well, and yes, that's nothing new, but if all the supposed fans are going to do is slag off all the players and the coach, why the hell do they bother watching it?" seethes Richenda Blakelock. "Have some pride and support, it's not like you lot could do better." How do you know?

18th over: England, needing 300, 36-4 (Bell 4, Collingwood 0) Bell is saved from falling leg-before to Vettori by a big inside edge as he plays forward. Gosh, that was close. Vettori then oversteps, before Bell works him off the stumps for a single to backward square. Collingwood isn't exactly getting forward either, which is potentially fatal against a bowler who possesses such a good arm-ball. And that will be lunch. It's been a stupendous morning for New Zealand, who still have 63 overs in which to take England's remaining six wickets. Join me at 12.10am GMT to see how many they can get before tea.